A Richland County judge has blocked Mansfield from making $1.8 million in cuts in its fire departments to help emerge from a fiscal emergency, a ruling that state officials say will lead to tough decisions elsewhere in city government, the Mansfield News Journal reports.

The temporary injunction ordered the city to restore six firefighter jobs to stay in step with contract requirements for 21 officers on duty daily. Mansfield, in fiscal emergency for more than six months, was looking at fire cuts to help shore up its budget.

State budget officials this week told the city it's facing “significant cuts” in personnel if it must look elsewhere to save money. The judge's decision is set to go to an arbitrator for a final call.